Turn buckle



1959 c. s. JOHNSQN, JR 2,913,267

TURN'BUCKLE Filed Sept. 27, 1957 1 INVENTOR. OuQTlSS S. JOHNSON, J [2.

1K ("'TORNI'Y I z I United States Patent.

TURN BUCKLE Curtiss S. Johnson, In, Middle Haddam, Conn. Application September 27, 1957, Serial No. 686,743

2 Claims. (Cl. 287-60) This invention relates to turn buckles and more particularly to means for adjusting the distance between the members connected by the turn buckle and also to means for locking the adjusting members in any position relative to the turn buckle member.

An object of importance of the invention is to provide a simple and rugged integral or built-up turn buckle member threaded to members extending from its opposite ends and having a lever mounted on the turn buckle memher that may be used as an operating lever to adjust the turn buckle member and also may be positioned to lock the buckle member in any adjusted position relative to its threaded connecting members.

A feature of importance of the invention is to provide the threaded members extending from opposite ends of the turn buckle with non-circular heads adjacent each other and extending within an elongated longitudinal opening formed in the turn buckle member.

Another object of importance of the invention is that the operating lever member for adjusting the turn buckle may be folded into alignment with the turn buckle member to closely engage the opposite fiat faces of the integral heads on the threaded members and to lock these members in fixed position and against rotation relative to the turn buckle member.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown the invention embodied in a generally standard form of turn buckle, but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a complete turn buckle assembly showing the operating and locking member in its open position for adjusting the turn buckle;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the turn buckle assembly shown in Fig. 1 with the operating or adjusting lever in its closed or locking position and enclosing the adjusting members; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 in Fig. 2.

In the above mentioned drawing, there are shown one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more in particular to the figures of the drawings and first to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown at a turn buckle member the opposite integral ends 12 of which are formed with internal screw threads of opposite hand. The intermediate portion of the turn buckle mem- 2 ber 10 is in the form. of integral parallel side bars 14 suitably spaced apart to form a longitudinal opening.

Threadedinto the opposite ends of the turn buckle memberlll are threaded members 16 having hexagon or other non-circular heads 18 at their inner ends. The longitudinal opening within the turn buckle between the side bar portions 14 is sutficiently large for the heads 18 to rotate freely therein.

To the outer ends of the threaded members 16 are at-, tached fittings 20 to which extension rods or cables (not shown) may be attached. .As shown in Fig. 1 the fittings 20 are threaded to the outer ends of the members 16 and also may be secured thereto by suitable transverse pins 21.

From the above description it will be seen that rotation of the member 10 relative to the threaded members 16 will move the members 16 toward or from each other. As this is the usual operation of-standard forms of turn buckles further description will be unnecessary.

To lock the turn buckle member 10 in adjusted positions relative to the members 16 as well as to operate the turn buckle, a lever member 22, U shaped in cross section is provided. This member 22 is pivoted as shown to one end of the turn buckle member 10 by a small cross pin 24. In the position shown in Fig. 1 the lever 22 is in position for manually adjusting the mechanism. When adjusted, the lever 22 may be folded into its closed position shown in Fig. 2, there being a projection form-,

. ing detent 26 at the free end of the member 10 to resiliently retain the member 22 in closed or folded position. The lever 22 in this position shown in Fig, 2 has its opposite inside surfaces closely engaging the flat faces of the hexagon heads 18 of members 16 so that rotation of members 16 cannot take place relative to the member 10. Also when the lever 22 is in its folded position against the turn buckle member 10 as shown in Fig. 2 the threaded connections of the turn buckle 10 and its threaded members 16 are entirely enclosed and protected from exposure. To adjust the turn buckle it is only necessary to release the lever 22 from its engagement with the projection 26 and swing the lever 22 outward to the position shown in Fig. 1. To permit complete outward movement of the lever 22 the end of the lever 22 adjacent its pivot 24 has its central portion cut back for a short distance to accommodate the threaded member 16.

I claim as my invention:

1. A turnbuckle assembly comprising, a turnbuckle member having integral longitudinally extending side bars intermediate the ends thereof, members threaded into the end portions of said turnbuckle member, said threaded members having hexagonal heads formed on their inner ends and being adapted for rotation within the space between the side bars of said turn buckle mem bers, and a U-shaped member pivoted to one end of said turnbuckle member and movable from an outer position to a closed position parallel to said turnbuckle member to closely engage opposite side surface of said heads and lock said threaded members against rotation relative to said turnbuckle member.

2. A turnbuckle assembly comprising, a turnbuckle member having integral longitudinally extending side bars intermediate the ends thereof, members threaded into the end portions of said turnbuckle member, said threaded members having hexagonal heads formed on their inner ends and being adapted for rotation within the space between the side bars of said turnbuckle mem-. her, and a U-shaped member pivoted to one end of said turnbuckle member and movable from an outer position substantially normal to said turnbuckle member for rotating said turnbuckle to a closed position parallel to said turnbuckle member to closely engage opopsite side Patented Nov. 17, 1959 'f'ff 3 surfce of said heads and lock said threadd members 2,040,790 against rotation relative to said turnbuckle member. 2,479,172

2,845,288 R0fer0nces Cited 1n the file of thls pareut I UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 5 1,467,319; Hoifmann Sept; 11, 19221 121,032 288,619

. 4 K aufmann May 12, 1936 Landon Aug. 16, 1949 Cierpik July 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec, 5, 1919 Germany Oct. 5, 1913 

